2019 Toyota Highlander problems, complaints & recalls

More Rising

NHTSA has received 498 owner complaints about the 2019 Toyota Highlander, or 63.9 per year on the road — more complaints than typical (complaint index 1.58, where 1.00 is the average of all tracked vehicles). Among the 78 model-year 2019 vehicles we track, it ranks #60 of 78 by complaints per year (#1 = fewest). Against other Toyota models its rate is 87% higher; against other Midsize SUVs it is 22% higher.

Counts are normalized by time on the road, not by sales volume: a popular model generates more reports than a rare one, and complaints are not verified individually. How we count

Complaints filed between 2018-11-18 and 2026-10-07. Median delay from incident to filing: 12 days.

498Complaints

63.9Complaints per year on the road

1.58Complaint index vs. all tracked vehicles

3Recalls

4.6%Share involving a crash or fire

146Last 12 months

Analysis

The previous model year (2018) drew 31.1 complaints per year, fewer than this one. The following model year (2020) drew 48.5 per year, fewer than this one. In its first two years on the road the 2019 model collected 119 complaints, 50% higher than the average vehicle of the same model year.

The most common problem area is Transmission / powertrain (37.3% of complaints), followed by Fuel system (15.1%) and Engine (14.9%). Transmission / powertrain complaints are 3.2 times as common here as across all tracked vehicles. 23 reports (4.6%) describe a crash or fire; owners mention 18 injuries and 0 deaths.

Half of the reported incidents happened within 66 months of the model year's start; the busiest period was after five years (55% of incidents). In the last 12 months 146 new complaints were filed, versus 102 in the 12 months before — up 43%.

NHTSA lists 3 safety recalls for this model year. 1 NHTSA investigation covers this model year; the most recent is “Pedestrian alert sounds” (defect petition, opened 2023-01-27, closed 2023-08-07).

Complaint index

vs. all tracked vehicles1.58
vs. other Toyota models1.87
vs. other 2019 models1.42
vs. other Midsize SUVs1.22
Complaints in first 2 years on the road · vs. same-year average (119)1.5
#60 of 78 · 2019Rankings ›

1.00 means the same rate as the comparison group. 2.00 means twice as many complaints per year on the road.

Other model years

201831.1 per year0.77
201963.9 per year1.58
202048.5 per year1.2
202194.3 per year2.34
202256.0 per year1.39
202351.5 per year1.28
202415.4 per year0.38
20255.6 per year0.14

Toyota Highlander problems, complaints & recalls by model year ›

What owners complain about

Transmission / powertrain186 · 37.3% · 3.19×
Fuel system75 · 15.1% · 3.48×
Engine74 · 14.9% · 0.67×
Unspecified or other53 · 10.6% · 1.18×
Electrical36 · 7.2% · 0.46×
Body & structure18 · 3.6% · 0.4×
Airbags & seat belts16 · 3.2% · 0.84×
Brakes13 · 2.6% · 0.43×

vs. all vehicles: 1.00 = All-vehicle average

Problem areas: Transmission / powertrain · Body & structure · Engine · Unspecified or other · Brakes · Airbags & seat belts · Fuel system · Electrical · Wheels, tires & suspension

When complaints were filed

Crashes reported: 22
Fires reported: 1
Injuries: 18
Deaths: 0

Vehicle age at incident

<1 yr10.2%
1–2 yrs17.1%
2–3 yrs6.0%
3–5 yrs12.0%
5+ yrs54.6%

Median age at incident: 66 months

What owners report

I had just driven up a steep driveway and made a slightly sharper than 90 degree turn at a very low speed to pull into a home parking spot when the car lunged forward suddenly and slammed into the stone wall of the house at a high speed.

Brakes · 2025-08-06 · ODI 11678769 · Crash
The contact owned a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at low speeds in a parking area, she briefly lost control only coming to a stop after colliding with a light pole. The air bags did not deploy.

Airbags & seat belts · 2025-03-03 · ODI 11646013 · Crash
While driving along, the car suddenly begun not too shift in the middle of an intersection. Fortunately for me, this occurred in the middle of the night when there were not many cars around, otherwise serious injury would likely have occurred since it was in…

Transmission / powertrain · 2026-10-07 · ODI 11769486
The contact owns a 2019 Toyota Highlander. The contact stated that driving the vehicle lost power and failed to properly accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal.

Transmission / powertrain · 2026-10-07 · ODI 11769592
Vehicle engine is running rough and threatened to stall in traffic due to a failed low-pressure fuel pump. This model year is under a major fuel pump recall, but my VIN was excluded. The gauge isn't reading correctly either

Fuel system · 2026-10-01 · ODI 11768396

Excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, trimmed for length. The ODI number is NHTSA's record identifier.

Segment peers · 2019 · Midsize SUVs

Models	Complaints	Complaints per year on the road	Complaint index
2019 Nissan Pathfinder	76	9.8	0.24
2019 Dodge Durango	143	18.4	0.46
2019 Hyundai Santa Fe	227	29.1	0.72
2019 Honda Passport	280	35.9	0.89
2019 Ford Explorer	299	38.4	0.95
2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee	370	47.5	1.18
2019 Chevrolet Traverse	411	52.8	1.31
2019 Kia Sorento	430	55.2	1.37
2019 Toyota Highlander	498	63.9	1.58
2019 Ford Edge	770	98.9	2.45
2019 Honda Pilot	912	117.1	2.9
2019 Subaru Outback	1,036	133.0	3.3

Safety recalls (3)

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP Campaign 20V682000 · 2020-11-04

Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain 2018-2019 4Runner, 2019-2020 Avalon, 2019 Corolla Hatchback, 2017-2019 Highlander, 2018-2020 Camry, 2020 Corolla, 2018-2019 Land Cruiser, 2017-2020 Tacoma, 2019-2020 RAV4, 2019-2020 Sequoia, 2017-2020 Sienna, 2019-2020 Tundra, 2018-2020 Lexus ES350, 2017 Lexus GS200t, 2017-2019 Lexus GS350, 2019 Lexus GS300, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500h, 2019-2020 Lexus LS500, 2018-2019 Lexus GX460, 2017 Lexus IS200t, 2019 Lexus IS300, 2019 Lexus IS350, 2018-2020 Lexus LC500, 2018 Lexus LS500, 2019 Lexus LS500h, 2018-2019 Lexus LX570, 2017 Lexus RC200t, 2019 Lexus RC300, RC350, 2017 and 2019-2020 Lexus RX350, 2018-2020 RX350L, 2019 Lexus UX200, 2018-2019 Lexus NX300 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump assembly with an improved one, free of charge. Owners of specific models were notified that remedy parts were available starting January 21, 2021. Owners of other models will be notified as remedy parts become available. Remedy parts should be available for all affected vehicles by late March 2021. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Note: This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-012. Toyota's number for this recall is 20TA02. Lexus' number for this recall is 20LA01.

FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP Campaign 20V012000 · 2020-01-13

Summary: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) recalled certain 2018-2019 4Runner, Highlander, Camry, Land Cruiser, Sequoia, Sienna, Tacoma and Tundra, and Lexus RC 300, RC 350, GS 350, GX 460, IS 300, LC 500, LS 500, LX 570, RX 350L, and 2019 Toyota Avalon and Corolla, and certain Lexus NX 300, and ES 350 vehicles on January 13, 2020. On March 4, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include certain 2014-2015 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser, 2018 Avalon, Corolla, 2014 FJ Cruiser, 2017 Sienna and Lexus 2018 ES 350, 2018-2019 GS 300, 2013-2014 GS350, 2014-2015 GX 460, IS 350 and LX 570, 2014 IS F, 2018-2019 IS 350, LC 500H and LS 500H, 2013-2015 LS 460, 2015 NX 200T and RC350, 2017 RC 200T and RX 350. Toyota also removed the 2018-2019 Toyota 4Runner and Land Cruiser and 2018-2019 Lexus GX 460 and LX 570 and 2019 NX300 from inclusion in this recall. On March 19, 2020, Toyota expanded the recall to include 2015 Lexus GS350 vehicles. The low-pressure fuel pump inside the fuel tank may fail.

Risk: If the fuel pump fails, the engine can stall while driving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump, free of charge. The recall began May 4, 2020. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-888-270-9371 or Lexus customer service at 1-800-255-3987. Toyota's numbers for this recall are 20TB02 and 20TA02 for Toyota vehicles and 20LB01 and 20LA01 for Lexus vehicles.

EQUIPMENT:OTHER:LABELS Campaign 19V244000 · 2019-03-27

Summary: Gulf States Toyota (GST) is recalling certain 2019 C-HR, 4Runner, Avalon, Avalon Hybrid, Camry, Camry Hybrid, Highlander, Land Cruiser, Prius, RAV4, Sequoia, Tacoma, Sienna, Tundra and Yaris vehicles. The text on the load capacity label may become illegible. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk: If the driver cannot read the label, they may unknowingly overload the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy: GST will notify owners, and dealers will provide corrected load carrying capacity modification labels, free of charge. The recall began May 24, 2019. Owners may contact GST customer service at 1-800-444-1074. GST's number for this recall is 19R1.

How to check whether your car has an open recall ›

Investigations

Pedestrian alert sounds Closed

DP22005 · defect petition · ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:PROPULSION SYSTEM · Opened 2023-01-27 · Closed 2023-08-07 · Campaign 22V063000 · Model years: 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022

NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and ele…